Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-08-05
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondence Of the Standard.
WASHINGTON, july %. 1897

0ekuiar Correspondence OF the Standard
WASHINGTON, July %, 1887.
Washington has many peculiarities ;
perhaps more, in fact, than any other
city of the United States, and to a
sojourner in its beautiful borders, one
OF the most noticeable of these in its
for cranks and criminals.
particularly the former class, yet, l
am not sure but what the terms are
convertible-at least, they often are,
as in the cases of Guiteau, and of
Krebs, who was but lately confined
for threatening to waylay President
Cleveland at the church where he
worships and blow his head off with
n shotgun" and still latter, the horri-
bic assassination of only last week,
when one DAILY, watching favorable
opportunity, stole up behind MIR. Ken
edy, one of the most estimable and
veperable citizens of the Capital, and
stabbed his life out on crowded street,
without any prevocation, other than
an imaginary grievance. DAILY de-
clares he was driven to it," because,
having been for quite a while confined
in a lunatic asylum, they concluded
he was Stimulating insanity and dis
charged him as a harmless ne'er-do-
way. Now why is Washington City
the Mecca-I had almost written Para
dise-of cranks and visionaries? One
great reason is that the Republicans,
through their devotion to lavish ap-
propriations for pensions, and their
pet scheme of public education at
Government expense, as shown by the
Blaine bill, have inculcated the idea
that ours is a sort Of paternal Govern
ment that is in duty bound to provide
for the wants of the ignorant, the in
digent and distressed: for instance,
the would-be-assassin Krebs, claimed
that the United States owed him
several million dollars, which Presi-
dent Cleveland was wrongfully with
holding. Another reason is the GRIM
inal laws of the District of Columbia
seem designed and executed for the
benefit rather than the punishment
Of offenders, for, although murders are
frequent, hanging is = very rare thing,
and minor crimes, such. as common
assault and petty larceny are made
quately punished by generally impos-
ing the lightest penslties-there be-
ing entirely too much personal re-
cognizance," in such cases. And for
this responsibility the Republicans
are also wholly chargeable, as the
District form of Government is
theirs.
From a statement published in the
serville Washington Press, one would
infer that the resignation of the Chief
Clerk of the Patent Office, was volun-
tary, but know what it was per-
emptorily called for, because Of his
close connection with the Bacon
shortage. Under the laws of the Un-
tied States it is made the duty of the
Chief Clerk to inspect and certify
monthly to the correctness of the ac-
counts of the financial clerks, and
this was regularly done for four years
by the late Chief Clerk (who by the
way is another one Of those indispen-
sable Republicans of whom we often
hear). during the whole of which per-
iod, Bacon was q defaulter. And if
the Chief Clerk did not know it, he
was greatly negligent Of his duty, to
say the least of it. think 1 can pre-
dict. with safety, further startling
revelations. and that other heads will
fall in the basket-that is, if they are
fortunate enough to escape q worse
fate. 1t is certain that there are still
. good many Republican rascals in
Office who should accompany Harvey,
the Treasury forger, who has just been
given IL years hard labor in the Al
bany penitentiary.
Cn May 23d, last, when a new
Treasurer of the United States was
appointed, account of the cash and
securities was begun and is still pro-
but will probably be COM
pleted by the end of this week, as only
the gold coin, amounting to about
$25, 100000, is yet uncounted. The
funds on hand amounted to $75, ,50O,-
600, and so far as can be learned not a
single cent is missing.
The investigation of the accounts
Of the disbursing officers of the Treas
ury, which begun last week, is still 60
ing on, and perhaps will be finished
by the first of next week. The differ
ent Assistant Treasurers of the United
States have been instructed to show
the state of such accounts at the close
of business July 18th, 1887, aud it is
evident that if there is any crookedness
it will be speedily and mercilessly un-
covered.
It is believed by many that the
Treasury offers finer and larger field
for fraud and forgery than any other
Department, on account of its vast
and varied financial transactions, and
recent Developments tend to prove
the opinion correct. Igreatly doubt
whether il is possible to discover all
such irregularities. DEN.